Kids Can Kids Club Summer Fun

Summer time is prime Kids Can Kids Club time. During the school year I have found that most of the time the kids are so busy with after school activities that there just isn't time to squeeze in one more thing. I have an occasional tea party for the older girls, crafting sessions and special gathers now and then that are age related but in summer we gather once a week. And then sometimes kids are away at day camp or on family vacations, but I have 9 kids in Kids Club now so even with a few missing I have my hands full!

Farmer's Wife Apron Game

Every year we have Family Harvest Day. I plan games for the kids, and the dad's play along too. But the mom's usually just watched. I decided we needed a game just for them. So, The Farmer's Wife Apron Game was born. Please excuse the not so great photos, they are from a few years ago. I keep forgetting to takes pics these days!

Hill House Soapworks Boutique

Hey everyone, I have opened a small Bath & Bodycare Boutique called Hill House Soapworks, on Facebook. I have some fun Halloween items in there, and will add more items as I have time. I plan to eventually carry a full range of Body care items. I would love for you to visit, Like and Follow. I also have a Facebook Group you can join, Hill House Soapworks Group, to hear about new items before they are stocked in the boutique. Thanks for your support!

August & September Garden Journal

I've waited so long to write this post that it almost seems pointless. But, this is for me as much as for you and I want to document life around here so I guess better late than never. Let's see what I can remember about August.

Family Traditions Blessing Blanket

This was first published at Family Home and Life.

Do you have family traditions? We do too. I try to be careful not to over load the family with following too many of them because family traditions can become chores rather than blessings. When we were expecting our first grand child, I wanted to have a gown and blanket for each child to use on their Dedication Day at church; like a Christening gown. A new tradition to follow.

Checking In!

Hello everyone! It's about time I checked in right? Well a LOT has been happening and I don't think I could ever fill you in, but I may try now and again ;) Another summer behind us and I survived to tell about it!! (Thats a story all in its self!) And the little kids are going to preschool 2 days a week soon so that leaves 2-3 days with just the two babies at my house; a couple more weeks!

Kids Can Food Preparations, Kids Club Style

The kids summer vacation from school was 9-10 weeks. The first week or two we just chilled and did whatever we felt like at the moment.  Then I began Kids Club having weekly gatherings. The meetings consist mostly of teaching and learning the rest of the year so I wanted to focus on fun as well as learning for the summer.

Repurposing: My Hardworking Office/Class/Kids Craft Room, an Unexpected Tour

I was looking through some photos of Kids Club meetings and thought you might like to see a room I don't often photograph in. Let me tell you, other than my kitchen this room is a very hard working room! It is an addition to the house and the former owner who built it did not connect to the A/C duct work in there. There is an added A/C window unit but it doesn't really help and oh my gosh is it expensive to run!

We have 3 doors leading from this room into the main house so by leaving all those doors open we mostly get the cooling we need in the summer. Winter is not a problem at all because this room is on the south side of the house. So let me show you my hard working space. 

Catching Up & A Vow Renewal At Sunset

One of my plans here at HHH is to record some of what is going on in my world. It was one of things I enjoyed over at FHL back when so I can read through it all at the end of the year and review happenings.  I have a lot of catching up to do and I don't know where to start! 

Since my oldest son and his wife celebrated their anniversary last weekend, I think I will write about them. Here's a few things about them and a really funny story. 

My oldest and youngest grand daughters :)

Memorial Day 2014

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Itty Bitty Turns 3!

Today we are celebrating a birthday with a party; Itty Bitty is three years old! My how these last three years have flown by. Happy Birthday sweet girl! 

Toddler Logic

I wrote this last October and forgot to post it then. I am posting it now as I want this blog to serve as a journal for my family as well as give you tutorials and such. I hope to be catching up with some pics of the kids and family times coming up soon.

It’s barely 9 am as I write this. I am wondering how I will get through the day with my sanity intact. The kids, 2 two yrs olds and a just turned 3 yr old, are about to do me in. These grand babies are some of the strongest willed most competitive individuals I have ever met. I am trying my best to instill in them a love for each other and good character traits like sharing and being nice.  

DIY Easy Bake Oven Themed Gift

It can be a challenge to keep up with all the kids birthdays that happen around here, especially when I always try to make a hand made gift for each one. Last Christmas, some of the girls received Easy Bake Ovens. I kept hearing about how they wanted to bake with their ovens but were out of mixes. I thought I would pick up some mixes for them until I saw how much they cost! Good grief, I can't believe how much they are! So I decided to see if I could mix up my own versions that would taste good too. 

* Family Harvest Day Progress Update

We are at about two weeks until Family Harvest Day and I still have a lot to do. I simply have not had enough time to post everything I wanted to here. Life happens and it has been ‘happening’ around here intensely and without a break; I have not gotten as much done as I should have by now. In my last post on Harvest Day, I wrote that we had set the date and sent out notifications to all. 

                                  

* How We Make a Scare Crow

I try to do most things the easiest way possible and I think that scarecrows are a pretty easy thing to make. The first time I made one I used real straw; it looked great but it was really heavy and soaked up the water when it rained. It also was super messy and though the kids loved playing in the straw they left straw debris every where and itched where it got on their skin. Now we make our scarecrows from plastic shopping bags and wow does it work great. 

* Family Harvest Day 2011

As I write this post I am thinking about this last year. You see, it's my one year anniversary of starting this blog. I thought I would be having a big celebration with you all but I don’t have time or energy just now to do that. And really, I opened it up to the public in March of this year (it was a family only blog before) so I’ve decided to wait until next March to celebrate. I’m not as busy that time of the year either. Any suggestions on how I should celebrate my blogiversary? I would love to do some giveaways at least; we’ll see how the bank account looks by then. 

* If I Had Time Today……

It is such a beautiful fall day here in Arizona; I’ve got all the blinds open and drapes pulled back, the windows are open and I'm enjoying the cool air and beautiful view. It is a work day for me; I work out of my house most of the time. I have a few grandchildren here napping right now, and I know that if I don’t take this time, while I can, to put my feet up I’ll regret it later. But I can’t help myself because after the summers we endure here, I have a huge list of things to do. I feel like I should be up doing chores; things that need doing, and things that I want to do just because I want to.

* Family Day at Harvest Time

A couple of years ago I was eager to start having family gatherings that my grand kids could take part in. Something more than just getting together for family dinners and birthdays; something centered around family, and what being a family means. I wanted to create a strong sense of belonging to one another, a knowledge of how we came to be together, and a knowledge of our unique history as a family.

You have to understand that I was starting all this from scratch. This was not a tradition passed down to me, though my family did have some pretty strong roots. I had a vague sense of what we should be as a whole, but I wasn’t exactly sure how to get there. I thought that if I could get us all together and involved in activities, tell them a little family history in a fun way, that would be a good starting place. So I began what I called Family Days, and the first one was at Harvest time. We now have Family Days that are centered around different themes through out the year. I am careful not to overload everyones busy schedules by taking into account family birthdays and not scheduling Family Days at busy times.

* Dear Dad,

Happy Father’s Day!

I hope you all will excuse me if I write a short note to my sons and sons in law? Three of them became fathers this past year, one for the first time, and the other for the second time; and the third for the second and third time, (twins) and I am so proud of them! They are men of integrity, men that make Father’s Day a truly special day in the lives of their wives and children. Thank you my sons, for making your mother so proud! For honoring me and blessing me by the way you love and take care of your families. I love you so much!

To the man of the house (my house that is) you have proved once again this year what a great dad and grandfather you truly are. You are ‘Papa, the man, the legend’ for sure! (I saw that on a t-shirt!) But you are my legend, and I love you. Thank you for putting up with me J

And I want to honor my father who is in Heaven now.  I still miss him, his guidance and the security I felt when he was still with us. He was a larger than life kind of person. Back when I was still a single mother, I was missing him so much and wished I could just talk to him for a little while. I wrote him a letter instead; it’s below and I hope you enjoy it.

I love you daddy!

* When You Give a Girl a Needle…..

My daughter in law and I worked on a sewing project together a while back, and either she was holding back on me or she has some major talent. Let me show you what I mean.